What's in your Easter basket?

Girl nights are the best.

Take my recent Ikea outing with Keri, for example. We were on a mission, little ants in the farm of beds, coffee tables, curtains, and kid toys! Slowly, we started at the bottom, quickly plowed our way up the elevator, forged our path around room set-ups, then left around mattresses, a sharp right, past kitchen gadgets. Tiny ant trails we created, gabbing our way through each section of the mega furniture store.

Detouring to the fabric section, I paused to daydream about covering our outdoor patio furniture with the white and lime green, striped material. Then back to the focused trail, our combined space widening, as we walked side by side, steering the cart in the curtain direction. All the while, we walked fast, and talked faster.

Because the best girl nights include gabbing and shopping, and are doubly good when done simultaneously!

Kill two birds with one stone, as my mom says.


Or two ants in an ant farm, was more like it.

We huffed our way to the dead end of the first level, reaching the kid section. Wandering around, our path zig-zagged past the toddler tables and unique bedding. Back and forth, we eyed dolls and wood trucks, easels and toy rugs. Squinting closer, our detailed journey closed in near the books.
A hedgehog book caught my eye ~ partly because I have a weird affection for hedgehogs, stemming from the fact that Ty clearly resembled one in his early months, and for the mere sake that it was indeed, a book!

And one can never have enough books!

So I'm standing there, turning it over in my hands.
Should I get this for Ty?
Does it have too many words?
Is the hedgehog even cute?

Being the helper, ant friend she is, Keri offers, You could put it in his Easter basket...

My head tilts, and I squish my mouth to the side, something I do when I'm puzzled.

Eeeeaaaaa....sssss{my eyes growling large }TTTTTEEERRRRR BASKET?
Oh. my. goodness!
It is almost Easter, isn't it?!

When did this happen? Christmas was just last week!

The world starts spinning.
The trail begins crumbling.
Time stops!
The farm tips on it's side.


I don't have Easter baskets for my boys!

What's worse, is that the thought hasn't
even
crossed
my
mind!

Rockstar Mom-of-the-Year Award, please!

Not sensing the farm tilt, Keri goes on to share what is in her lil' man's Easter basket~ his first crayons, a drawing pad, fun knick knacks...

So I lied.

In my head.


Yes, I have two huge Easter baskets, purchased from Pottery Barn, with the boys names stitched on the canvas side. Yes, that's right, a canvas Easter bag, the size of my car. And inside, a life-time supply of watermelon gum, Disney movies, an inflatable pool, and puppies.
Puppies for everyone.

Hmm... the puppies for everyone comment wouldn't sell her.

So I went with the truth.

Because she can handle it.
And she won't judge me.
Or think I'm lame, for not having bought my boys something to celebrate Jesus' resurrection.

YET!

Suddenly, our ant mission elevated to survival mode. We scurried with fast-forward steps, up and down, adding infinity shapes to our trail.

We will find my boys some Easter Basket goodies.
I will redeem this moment!

And just like that, God reached his holy hand down, straightened the ant farm off it's tilt. and

I
saw
IT!...

A CIRCUS TENT!!!

YES!

It's perfect!!

Hours of entertainment, easy to set-up, and way cuter than a princess castle.

Done!

Into the cart, hopped the tent. On, we continued, burrowing to the lower level, weaving up and down, in, and around dishes, pillows, curtain rods, and plants.

Finally, we emerged victorious. Our ant trail told our story, and the cart held proof of a successful journey.

Come this Easter, my boys will not open a stationwagon-size canvas tote, overflowing with gum.
There will be no puppies.

But you can bet your bunny tail, that the jellybean trail leading to the pitched, circus tent in the living room, will be worth the forgotten Easter basket moment.

And thanks to Keri, and our combined, ant-like determination, I can confidently say,
We took the farm!